The Palestine Chronology

Russian dep. FM Posuvalyuk discusses state of the peace process with Crown Prince Hassan in Amman, then heads to Israel. (RJ 4/16 in WNC 4/18) (see 4/16)

Arafat, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Amnon Shahak, Shin Bet head Ami Aylon hold mtg. on security coordination Gaza. U.S. special envoy Ross also attends. (ITV 4/18 in WNC 4/21; MA 4/23 in WNC 4/24)

IDF demolishes home of a relative of suicide bomber Ghanimat in Surif, leaving 10 people homeless. (LAW 5/6) (see 4/16)

Fmr. Israeli pres. (1983+n93) Chaim Herzog dies in Tel Aviv. (NYT, WT 4/18; JP 4/26)

Military Action:

Heavy shelling by PSP militia, rockets and artillery fall in area from East Beirut north to Jounieh, and in airport area; Pentagon reportedly decides to keep battleship New Jersey stationed off Lebanon indefinitely.

Casualties:

5-7 killed, 30 wounded in East Beirut; LF militiamen kidnap Shi'ite civilians south of Beirut, Amal militiamen kidnap 60 Christian employees of MEA from buses on way to airport, later released; Beirut power station damaged, electricity rationing resumes.

Political Responses:

Israel/ Occupied Territories: 36th anniversary of UN vote to partition Palestine marked by demonstrations and protests throughout West Bank; IDF disperses Nablus demonstration with teargas; large demonstration in support of Arafat at Birzeit; settler injured by stone near Beit Omar, Hebron, 6 suspects arrested; estimated 500 Jewish settlers hold protest march through Nablus under heavy IDF protection, settlers establish command post near Tomb of Joseph in Nablus, say they will remain there until IDF takes stronger measures against Palestinians, chief-of-staff Levy flies in for meeting; President Herzog says IDF prisoners released by PLO had surrendered shamefully, press and military personnel question enthusiastic reception given to returnees.

Palestinians/ Lebanese: Arafat says he will leave Tripoli.

US and Other Countries: Reagan and Shamir end talks, agree on joint political-military committee, to begin meeting in January, to enhance Israeli-US cooperation, objectives include military planning, maneuvers, prepositioning of US equipment in Israel; other areas of agreement are: US willing to negotiate accord on duty-free trade and to permit $550 m. military aid to be spent on development of Lavi fighter, including $250 m. to be spent in Israel; US and Israel reaffirm commitment to May 17 Israeli-Lebanese troop withdrawal agreement; US reportedly will make cluster bomb technology available to Israel for production there, Shamir and Arens agree in principle not to use the weapons against civilians.